Untested 2-year-olds take the spotlight at Santa Anita Park June 22 in a pair of $125,000 stakes events at 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track, the Santa Anita Juvenile and the Landaluce for fillies.
Seven are entered in the Santa Anita Juvenile, previously the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, including six debut winners and a first-time starter. The Landaluce has attracted a field of nine, including four first-out winners. The Santa Anita Juvenile is race 7 on the Sunday card with a 4 p.m. PDT tentatively scheduled post, to be followed by Landaluce, race 8 set for 4:30 p.m. PDT.
Story to Tell was an eye-catching maiden special weight winner May 23 as the 7-5 favorite for trainer Dan Hendricks and owner Cecil Peacock. The son of Bluegrass Cat out of the multiple stakes-winning Silver Deputy mare Haddie Be Good scored by 1 1/4 lengths handily after dueling for the lead, completing 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.02.
"I was surprised he won as easily as he did, in hand, with three different moves in a 4 1/2-furlong race," said Hendricks June 19. "Hopefully, this race is the first step towards bigger things for Story to Tell. I know one thing. We turned down a lot of money for him, so we know he can run."
Peacock purchased the bay colt for $200,000 at the Barretts March 2-year-old in training sale. Story to Tell has the same connections as another precocious youngster named Brother Derek, a Hollywood Futurity and Santa Anita Derby (both gr. I) winner. Story to Tell willl break from post 3 and will again be ridden by Joe Talamo. He worked four furlongs June 18 in :49 3/5.
Another youngster who will be heavily backed is Holiday Camp, from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Michael Lund Petersen's Street Boss colt wheels right back after winning his debut June 7 at five panels in front-running style by 2 1/2 lengths as a 9-10 favorite. The chestnut colt tuned up for this with a half-mile drill in :47 1/5 June 18.
Doug O'Neill will be represented by a pair of impressive first out winners, Henry's Holiday and Wake Up Nick.
A Kentucky-bred colt by Harlan's Holiday, Success Racing's Henry's Holiday won by 3 1/4 lengths May 9, covering 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.25 under Tyler Baze at odds of 9-1. J. Paul Reddam and Dennis O'Neill's Wake Up Nick, a California-bred colt by Cindago, scorched a field of six state-breds by 9 1/4 lengths as a 1-2 pick May 1, getting 4 1/2 furlongs in a sizzling :51.22.
"They're both very talented," said O'Neill. "To have won first time out shows they've got special quality. They're still very much babies at this time of year, but we're just excited about both of them."
Henry's Holiday and Wake Up Nick each worked five furlongs June 14, the former going in 1:01 2/5 and the latter in 1:00 3/5.
Others in the field are debut winners Kristi's Copilot for trainer Art Sherman, and the Peter-Miller trained Global Magician. Homer Matt makes his debut for Miller.
In the Landaluce, Jerry Hollendorfer has entered Seduire, an impressive first-out maiden winner May 22. An Ontario-bred filly by Elusive Quality , Seduire took her debut by 1 1/2 lengths, covering 4 1/2 furlongs in a rapid :51.40 at odds of 7-2 in a field of seven. Owned by Regis Farms, she’ll break from the rail with Corey Nakatani set to ride her back.
Second as the heavy 2-5 favorite, Kaleem Shah's maiden Enchanting Lady will try to turn the tables on Seduire for Baffert. The added distance should be to her benefit after breaking a step slowly from her outside post in her debut. The Tale of the Cat filly finished with what appeared to be much in reserve and galloped out well.
Trainer Adam Kitchingman’s Sea Mona was a debut winner going 4 1/2 furlongs May 8. The handy 2 3/4-length winner will need to improve to beat the top two. A Kentucky-bred filly by Tiz Wonderful, she’s owned by Triple B Farms and will be ridden again by Joe Talamo.
The other first-out winners in the Landaluce are Cal-breds My Fiona and Robo Girl, both bred and owned in partnership by Terry Lovingier. My Fiona, a daughter of Ghostzapper , is trained by Walther Solis, while Robo Girl is by Bushwacker and conditioned by Gary Sherlock.
$125,00 Santa Anita Juvenile Stakes (Race 7, 4 p.m.), 2YOs, 5 1/2 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Global Magician (CA), E Trujillo, 122, P Miller
2. Kristi's Copilot (CA), A T Gryder, 122, A Sherman
3. Story to Tell (KY), J Talamo, 122, D L Hendricks
4. Holiday Camp (KY), M Garcia, 122, B Baffert
5. Wake Up Nick (CA), M Gutierrez, 122, D F O'Neill
6. Homer Matt (KY), E A Maldonado, 118, P Miller
7. Henry's Holiday (KY), T Baze, 122, D F O'Neill
$125,000 Landaluce Stakes (Race 8, 4:30 p.m.), 2YO Fillies, 5 1/2 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Seduire (ON), C S Nakatani, 122, J Hollendorfer
2. Lanie Britt (KY), K J Desormeaux, 118, K Mulhall
3. My Fiona (CA), F H Perez, 122, W Solis
4. Morning Coffee (KY), M Gutierrez, 118, D F O'Neill
5. Abets Abet (CA), A T Gryder, 118, M Harrington
6. Saturday Yodeler (CA), E Trujillo, 118, M Harrington
7. Sea Mona (KY), J Talamo, 122, A Kitchingman
8. Robo Girl (CA), T Baze, 122, G Sherlock
9. Enchanting Lady (KY), M Garcia, 118, B Baffert
